Ebony Wings
by Winged Lady Colette
Summary: An orphaned boy befriends two young heirs, becoming the key to their future unity.
1. Found Boy

**Author's Note: Shh, no one is going to notice that this is yet another new story that I'm writing and are just going to enjoy the fact that it's got Minato - my babe - as the main character, right? No one is going to notice? Anyway, I have been thinking about this idea for a little while now and I'm excited to see if it's well received! I am open to the pairings! Also, if you like the idea of Itachi being a jedi, you should totally check out my new crossover, His Path. XD Anyway, let me know what you think! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

 **Warnings: Language, OOCness, Un-beta'd.**

 **Word Count: 4,208**

Minato had a dream of when he was young - or perhaps it was a memory - and it was when he was so young, everyone stood so tall and spoke so maturely that most everything of what is said. It was all mostly noise. Minato just remembers the bottom half of his mother's face. He could see her full, plump lips, stained a beautiful red color as she spoke to him. There was a single black mark at the corner of her lips, a beauty mark. Her words meant nothing to him, it was all just noise and when she turned away from him, the noise stopped.

She dragged him along through a dimly lit forest, a lantern in one of her hands to help light the way down the path in front of them. After a few moments of him struggling to keep up with her larger strides, she turned and picked him up, propping him onto her hip as she walked. Minato didn't get much sleep before she pulled him out of bed, saying something that he didn't understand and mentioning his daddy before they set out away from their home.

Minato has never been so far from home. He never left the circle of land around their home that acts as their yard. He wasn't allowed to go into the trees, his mother said that there was monsters in the forest that liked to eat little boys like him. So he stayed away, content with playing in his yard by himself. Minato passed the time mostly by reading, loving to read and learn about all sorts of different things but at that time, it was all simplistic things in the grand scheme of things.

Minato rested his head against his mother's shoulder, listening to the sounds of the forest and his mother's gentle footsteps through the dark night, trying not to disturb the nightlife.

Minato has had this dream a hundred times, and always there is a little time skip where he woke up again to his mother arguing with someone, raising her voice enough to wake him. He doesn't remember what was said, but he could feel her wrap herself around him, turning away a bit to try and block Minato from the person that she's talking to. She dropped the lantern. It hit the ground and the fire started to spread.

There is a moment where Minato was so terrified - but it had to of been longer than a moment - because when he finally mustered the courage, he turned around in his mother's grip to see a shadow of a man against the forestry. All Minato could do was stare at the shadow that seemed to be larger than life, stretching for miles against the trees as if he was thirty feet tall. The fire danced around them for a moment as Minato's eyes water with fear before the shadow lunged.

Minato jerks awake, looking around the dark room trying to find the shadow in the darkness, but it was gone. He brings his hands up to his face, feeling clammy palms press against a sweating face. His face, neck, back and chest were covered in sweat as if the inferno was in his room rather than the forest in his dreams. He's had this dream for as long as he can remember.

After that memory, the next memory he had was being cared for by an old couple that took him in when they found him half dead in the forest. He was starved, dehydrated, dirty and bitten up by bugs when they found him.

Minato was grateful to them. They were the ones who gave him his name, since he was only five years old and couldn't remember anything else. Little snippets of things he learned and the place where he lived and his mother's lips and chin, but everything else was gone. He was so young that he couldn't remember them now that he was older.

At ten years old, Minato was healthy and well cared for and his new family took such good care of him that he was loosing interest in finding out what ultimately happened. His life began to move on and while he was always curious, he also had other things that he had to focus on.

"Minato!" His father, Kazuhiro, calls for him from the small house on the hill.

Minato glances up from his book to see his father waving his hand around a bit to help draw attention to him. Minato closes the book up and stands, brushing the leaves from the tree overhead of him that fell and settled around him in the long hours he had been sitting there.

"Yes, father?" Minato calls, walking out to where his father of the past five years could see him.

"Can you go fetch water from the river?" he calls.

Minato nods, smiling broadly. "Okay!" He waves his hands around, waiting a moment to watch his father step back inside before putting the book down and darting up the hill to the side of their little quaint little home to grab the buckets by the back porch. He takes them back down the hill passed the tree line, pausing only to grab his book and walks through the forest toward the river.

He wasn't able to see his house from the river, but he could see the smoke that came from the chimney to show that his mother was cooking dinner. He lays the book down and fills the buckets with water before carrying them back slowly, up the hill, trying not to spill, before making it to the house and leaving the buckets by the door, knocking a few times before turning around and running back down the hill, using the slope to pick up speed. He could his father call out his thanks to Minato as the boy returns to the river and sits down with the book to finish reading.

It was early evening, Minato still had time to read before his mother would be done with dinner and he would have to return home.

Minato puts his bare feet into the water, letting it cool him down as he read quietly to himself for a few minutes. He swings his legs around a bit, listening to the splashing of the water.

Minato lays back, holding the book above him, continuing to read to himself until he felt something standing over him. Minato moves the book to his chest and blinks in surprise to see another boy just a few years older than him with large brown eyes staring down at him curiously.

Minato blinks a few times before saying, softly, "Hello."

The boy smiles charmingly, eyes crinkling. "Hi!"

Minato smiles. "Can I help you?"

The boy drops down to his butt, legs pulled up to his chest. He drums his fingers against his kneecaps, tilting his head to the side, brown hair falling that way. "Sorry to bother you," the older boy says. "I come back here often and see you reading all the time. What are you reading? Something interesting?"

Minato offers the book to the older boy. He does and touches the smooth leather-bound book cover for a moment careful of the item that wasn't his before opening up to the first page, reading the words. Minato just sat there, looking up at the older boy, watching him read quietly to himself, lips moving silently as he flips the page and continues.

Minato pulls his feet out of the water, waving them around a bit to dry them off before settling them in the grass next to him.

"What are you doing, Hashirama?" another voice says.

Minato looks above himself to see another boy, this one with all dark features, hair and eyes. The new boy, also older than him, steps closer to the brown haired boy, Minato now knows is Hashirama, and eyes Minato wearily.

"I'm reading, Madara," Hashirama says, wiggling the book around before dropping his legs to the ground and laying the book down on his thighs so that he can read better. "It's a book of about a samurai, I think."

Madara lowers next to Hashirama, glancing down at the page, dark eyes scanning it before he looks up at Minato to make sure he hasn't moved, before looking back to keep reading, then back up at Minato, then to the book. Again and again, until he's too enraptured in the book too that he forgets to look up and be watchful of Minato.

Minato lays there, eyes turned toward the sky, listening to the two strange boys next to him breathing, huffing under their breath, and flipping the pages of the book they are borrowing from him. He watches the clouds in the sky as they float on by leisurely as the heavens begins to change colors, going from blue to a starburst of yellow, red, orange and pink.

Once Minato registered how late it was, he sat up and turned toward the two boys, who were enraptured by the book.

"Hi, guys," Minato says, waving his hand around. It takes a moment before both boys look up at him, surprised, as if they forgot that he was there. That wouldn't surprise him though, he's been sitting there in a daze while they read for over an hour. Once both the boys look at him, Minato offers a little smile. "I have to go home now. I need my book back, though. My dad will be so mad if I left it. I'm sorry."

"Oh!" the brunette says, brown eyes widening. "I'm sorry! I was so curious, I didn't even realize that time has past! Forgive me!" He closes the book and offers it back to Minato. "Thank you for letting us borrow it. It is such a good story!"

"Yes..." the black haired boy says, scratching the back of his head, embarrassed. "Thank you."

Minato laughs. "It's okay! I'm glad that you guys like it. If you would like to keep reading it, I live close by if you ever want to visit."

Hashirama smiles kindly. "Oh! Where?"

Minato points toward the smoke over the tree line. "There. Oh, I'm Minato, by the way!"

"Hashirama!" The brown haired boy says, even though Minato already knew that.

"Madara," the black haired boy says, offering a tiny nod.

"Do you guys live close by too?" Minato asks curiously. Both nod, but don't elaborate. Minato doesn't push it, but was a bit curious. "Alright," he says, taking the book back from Hashirama and jumping to his feet. "Bye! Goodnight!"

"Night!" Both boys call after him.

Minato races off into the woods back to his home, practically glowing in excitement. There wasn't many young children around his age close by. These two were the first he's met so far. They were admittedly a bit strange, but Minato was happy to meet them regardless. Truth be told, it filled Minato with pride to hear about them liking the book, because it was something that his father wrote.

Once Minato made it home, he was bouncing into the tiny kitchen, glowing with excitement. He steps into the next room and puts the book onto the shelf before joining his father at their small table while his mother bustling around in the kitchen. She smiles at him lovingly before continuing to finish up with dinner. Her peppered hair, similar to his father's, is pulled up into a tight bun on the back of her head, is as crisp as always.

"You seem happy," Kazuhiro says, looking down at Minato through drooping dark brown eyes. "Did something good happen to you?"

Minato nods, beaming at his father. "Yes, I met some other boys over at the river. They read some of your book, and liked it!"

Kazuhiro smiles warmly, deep lines from years of smiling crinkle around his lips. "That's very nice to hear. Did you mind your manners?"

Minato nods. "Yes, father. I told them where I live, I hope I get to see them again," Minato says softly, his loneliness peaking into his words without him being able to stop them. He is content with his life as it is, grateful to his parents for looking after him when they didn't have to. They had an older son that they haven't seen in a long time, because he's off traveling the world. He used to send letters to them but stopped years ago. They feared the worst, Minato knew, but they have no solid idea as to what is going on.

Minato never met his parent's real child but they had nothing but wonderful things to say about him. They obviously missed him and wished that he would return home safely one day and their worries would finally be sated. Minato thinks that him going to them was like a beacon of hope for them and even a way of distracting them from their pain and worry over their own child. He was something for them to love and take care of and protect from the big, scary world out there. They were a kindly old couple who loved kids, probably didn't have as many as they wanted, but were thankful for the one they got and the second opportunity they got to raise another.

"Is it okay, if they decide to come over, father?" Minato asks softly.

Kazuhiro smiles even more, giving a sidelong glance toward his wife of almost fifty years to see her own pair of dark brown eyes looking over at him from over her shoulder with a smile on her face.

"What do you think, Miyayoi?" Kazuhiro asks, playfully.

Miyayoi shakes her head, carrying over the last of the food before slowly lowering herself to the table before reaching over and taking her husband's hand in her small, wrinkly one. "I think it's nice, Kazuhiro. It's about time Minato made friends."

Minato smiles at his parents, blue eyes shimmering in happiness. He is so thankful and happy that he was lucky enough to get the parents that he did. They are so good and so kind to him, he couldn't be happier with them. He hopes that they are happy with him as well. He tries to be good and stay around for when they need him and out of their way when they don't. He's helpful and studious and tries hard to be able to be useful to his family all the while being as kind as he can.

"Mother," Minato says, looking over at the older woman.

"Yes, sweetheart?" Miyayoi says, turning dark eyes toward their adoptive son.

"Thank you for dinner," he says sweetly, smiling boyishly. "It all looks really wonderful."

Miyayoi's wrinkled face softens tremendously. "Thank you, Minato, that is so sweet of you to say." She reaches over the small table and pats Minato's hand. Minato turns his hand around and holds onto hers tightly.

Minato's light blue eyes slide over to his father, and he smiles even more. The older man smiles back. He reaches across the table and puts a heavy, wrinkled hand onto the top of Minato's head, letting his fingers run through the long, thin blond tresses. Minato beams happily at his father.

"Shall we eat, then?" Kazuhiro asks, smiling back.

"Lets!" Minato and Miyayoi say in unison.

* * *

"Psst!"

Minato turns a bit in his bed, curling up a bit more in his covers.

"Pssst!"

Minato sits up suddenly, messy blond afro even messier than usual. He looks around, alarmed, blue eyes blown wide as he looks around the tiny, otherwise plain room.

"Over here, Minato!"

Minato turns around to look at the window to see Hashirama and Madara both hanging from the window sill. Both of them stare at him with wide dark eyes, as if surprised to have awakened him at the crack of dawn. Minato reaches up for a moment and runs his fingers through his hair, blinking tiredly. He yawns as he pushes himself to his feet, kicking off the thin covers that wrap around his ankle a bit.

He walks over to the window, adjusting his sleep yukata that was all twisted out of shape until it's straightened out. "What are you guys doing here?"

"You promised to meet us over at the river in the morning," Hashirama says, scratching at the back of his head.

"It's dawn," Minato says, leaning against the other side od the window. "I was thinking more at a decent time, not dawn."

"Told you nothing was wrong," Madara says, glaring up at Hashirama.

"You don't change, do you?" Minato asks, yawning. "We've been meeting up the past two weeks and you guys still come to pick me up."

Madara tilts his dark head to the side. "Are we annoying you?"

Minato shakes his head, more awake now than before. "No, I enjoy it actually. I've never had friends before, so this is kind of fun." Minato grins down at the two older boys. "Thank you so much!"

"Well, we have to continue your training," Hashirama says, putting his hands on his hips and smiling proudly. "You still have much that you need to learn before you can reach Madara's or my level."

Madara nods in agreement. "It's true, though. We still have years on you. So get up! The day is practically half over already!"

Minato glances out over his small yard, which isn't even fully lit up yet from the sun, which is peaking over the horizon. Minato highly doubted that the day was half over since it practically hasn't even begun yet, but Madara was like that. When he showed interest in their world, in ninja training, they leapt at the chance to have something to do, something more to occupy their time.

"Alright, alright," Minato says, holding up his hands in surrender. "Give me a moment to get dressed."

"Good," Madara says, nodding once. Hashirama laughs, smiling brightly before both boys bounce away a respectful distance so that he can change in peace. Minato lets out a little laugh and quickly changed into simple blue pants and kimono top. Minato stops for a moment, mussing up his hair a bit before he heads out of his little room, separated from the rest of the small house by a curtain hung up by his father.

Minato peaks into his parents room, only a bit larger than his own with a desk off in the corner filled with his father's writings and a place for his mother to sit and knit by the window, balls of yarn in a basket next to it.

Minato sneaks over to his father's side, who was facing outwards, away from his mother and lowers to his hunches next to his father's face.

"Father?" Minato whispers, poking his father's shoulder a bit.

No response.

"Father?" Minato whispers a bit louder, poking his father in the shoulder again, a bit harder.

His father opens his eyes, looking around dazed for a moment before Minato's small face registers in his mind. "Minato?" He moves to sit up, but Minato shakes his head.

"I'm going out to the river with Hashirama and Madara again," Minato says softly, once his father relaxes back in bed. "I just didn't want you to wake up to me being gone."

His father nods, reaching out and petting the top of Minato's head. "You are a good boy, Minato. Alright. Come straight home if anything happens or you need something." Minato nods, smiling happily at his father, who retracted his hand and closed his eyes to get some more sleep. Minato tip toed to the other side of the bed and kissed his mother's cheek.

She smiles, having already been awake.

"Bring those boys back for breakfast in a few hours," his mother says.

"Yes, mother," Minato says before slipping out of the room. He went to the back door and slipped on his shoes before stepping out, seeing both Madara and Hashirama waiting for him excitedly.

"Let's go, slow poke!" Hashirama says happily, his grin brighter than the sun. Madara nods.

"Okay," Minato says, offering a little nod himself. "My mother said that the two of you have to come over and eat breakfast with us once we are done training."

"Oh!" Hashirama says, gleefully. "Yeah!"

"But first," Madara says, crossing his arms over his chest, "we have to build up that appetite. So off to training!" The oldest and the youngest boys both salute to the middle boy.

"Yes, sir!"

Minato sits between Madara and Hashirama, eyes closed, breath even and body relaxed, trying hard not to be distracted by the two boys rambling on and on about one thing or another. They laugh and joke and Minato continues to meditate. He ignores the two boys easily now after weeks of training. At first it was hard when Minato started training with Madara and Hashirama. They would go through cardio, running through the forest, and then other strength building exorcises before he was forced to sit down and meditate, ignoring distractions around him like the other boys talking and laughing.

It was hard to fight his instinct and join in on the conversation, but he's grown used to it. He actually enjoys centering himself and feeling the swell of his chakra grow in his body. It made him feel more like Madara and Hashirama.

Minato didn't think that he was going to be some sort of amazing shinobi, but he wanted to be able to be strong enough to protect his parents should he ever need to. He has little aspirations beyond that, but it was something that was important to him. His only vivid memory - or perhaps just his last one - of his mother was of her fighting with someone. He's not sure if it was some kind of battle to the death, kind of thing since he didn't know anything about his mother. He didn't even know her name, but something happened that night - early morning? - that separated him and her.

He has to assume that something terrible happened to her. And while he was just a little boy at the time, he was getting older and so was the people that has become his adoptive family. He has to make sure that he can keep them safe.

There is a loud growling noise that makes Minato peak an eye open and glances over at Hashirama.

The brown haired boy looks between Minato and Madara, blushing deeply in embarrassment. "I'm hungry," Hashirama admits, as if it wasn't completely obvious, and rubs the back of his head sheepishly.

Minato looks up at the sun, judging the time based on where it is in the sky. "I think my mother should be up and making breakfast now, if you guys want to come over."

Madara looks up as well. "Well, I should be getting home soon... but I don't think that it would be too bad to have some breakfast before going home..."

Hashirama jumps to his feet. "Yes! I am so hungry!"

Minato laughs, standing up too, he runs his hands through his hair a bit, feeling how hot and sweaty it is. "Maybe we should take a dip in the river to wash off a bit before we go back. I'm sure my parents will appreciate it."

Madara blinks a few times before nodding, same with Hashirama.

"Well," Hashirama says, stepping closer to Minato, "I suppose this is a good time to initiate a bit more training! Always be prepared for an attack!" Hashirama grabs Minato around the waist and easily tosses the smaller boy into the water. Minato hits with a loud splash, flailing around for a moment until he reaches the surface to stare at the laughing, doubled over Hashirama with Madara glaring down at him.

"You're a real jerk, you know that?" Madara mumbles. "I can see into your future Hashirama. You are going to forever be a small child trapped in a big person's body."

Hashirama says something incomprehensible through his giggles, holding his side as he laughs.

Madara rolls his eyes. "Never mind, come on!" He drags Hashirama over to the water and shoves him in, much to Hashirama's dismay and Minato's delight. The blond boy laughs sweetly as the black haired boy grins down at him proudly, before running and leaping into the water right after Hashirama emerges from the water.

"You are so mean!" Hashirama whines once Madara resurfaces. Madara grins at him, spitting water into his face like a hose. "Madara!"

All three boys laugh and splash water onto one another. Ignorant to this being one of the last times that they are together and happy before they all reach mature adulthood.


	2. Seven years

**Author's Note: Hello! So there is a bit of interest in this story! I am a bit excited for it! I love hearing from you all! Let me know what you think! I am open to suggestions on pairings! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

 **Warnings: Language, OOCness, Un-beta'd.**

 **Word Count: 4,795**

Minato makes his way through the bushes to the river where he usually met with Madara and Hashirama, when they weren't waking him up at the crack of dawn. As he finally stepped out onto the rocks around the bed, he spots Madara and Hashirama both standing on the other side of the river, where their homes are somewhere beyond.

They were standing in front of one another, seemingly arguing about something. Hashirama looks pleading while Madara looks so mad. His hands are balled into fists and he's hunched in anger.

Minato walks across the water carefully, still trying to master the ability, over to the two boys.

"I can't believe that you lied to me!" Madara snaps, barely sparing Minato a glance before turning his attention back to Hashirama. "You must think that I'm a complete fool!"

"No," Hashirama says, shaking his head. "Please, listen to me, Madara! I had no intention of lying to you! I just... I didn't say anything because I didn't think it mattered! It doesn't matter who my family is, it doesn't change who I am! I'm still Hashirama! I'm still your friend!"

"Lies! It's all lies," Madara snarls. "You were just using me! Pretending to be my friend so that you could gain information about my family and use it to attack us!"

Hashirama briskly shakes his head, stepping closer to Madara, only for the other boy to take a step back. "No, Madara, please, listen to me. That wasn't my intention at all! Sure, I knew you were an Uchiha, but that didn't matter to me, I promise!"

"There you go again," Madara snaps. "You are always trying to be the nice guy when in reality you are no different than any other Senju! You are a no good, filthy liar!"

Minato steps closer to them, looking between the two best friends with wide blue eyes. "What's going on? Madara? Hashirama? What are you two arguing about?"

"Do you know who I am?" Madara snaps, turning to look at Minato, who jumps in surprise at the sudden attention sent his way.

Minato stares back at him, not sure he understood the question. Was it some kind of trick question? He wasn't sure.

"Madara?" Minato says slowly, not sure of the answer anymore. Wasn't he Madara? What was he trying to say?

Madara frowns at him for a moment before nodding. "Yes," he says. "But my family. Do you know who my family is?"

Minato shakes his head a bit. "No, I don't think you ever told me who your family is. Why, should I know?" He looks at Madara with large blue eyes, completely different from anything either boy has ever seen. They were both part of clans with dark hair and eyes. Minato was everything they weren't used to. They weren't used to his big sky blue eyes or his bright, messy blond hair. Perhaps that is what attracted them to him in the first place.

Madara smiles a bit, as if appreciative of the answer, before his face returns angry. "And Hashirama? Do you know who his family is?"

Minato shakes his head. "No, he never said, either. Why? What's wrong?"

Madara stares at him for a moment, as if mentally debating something that he either really wanted to think about or just didn't want to. It was a strange wide range of emotions on his face before he frowns, sending all of them away. His face falls blank as he turns his dark eyes toward Hashirama, who stared back at him with dark brown eyes that just begged the slightly younger boy to understand.

"I am an Uchiha," Madara says, voice chilling. "And Hashirama is a Senju."

Hashirama's sad brown eyes turn toward Minato, as if trying to convey the physical pain it looked like he felt. Minato looks between the two boys, mentally contemplating. "So?" he finally asks.

Madara and Hashirama stare back at him, as if neither of them expected that to be his response. His large blue eyes slide between the two of them with honest, innocent confusion. He really didn't understand what that meant. Obviously it was their last names, but he wasn't sure why that was suppose to matter. For a moment, Minato wondered if this was suppose to be some kind of joke.

"We are born of opposite families," Madara says slowly. "We are natural born enemies."

"Why?" Minato asks, blinking slowly.

"Why..." Hashirama says softly, brown eyes wide.

"Did you guys have a fight while I wasn't here?" Minato asks, worried. "I'm sure it's not as bad as you think."

"No," Madara says, shaking his head briskly. "It's our families that are the enemies."

Minato looks around confused. "I don't understand. Why are you mad at each other?"

"I'm not mad," Hashirama says, holding his hands up. "But it's out families..." His shoulders droop in defeat.

Minato blinks a few times, not sure he really understands. He looks over at the black haired boy. "Are you mad, Madara?"

"Yes," Madara says, casting a dark look Hashirama's way, which makes the slightly older boy wilt like a flower under a hail storm. "He should have told me what he was. He knew what I was!"

"What's that?" Minato asks.

"Uchiha!" Madara exasperates. "I'm an Uchiha!"

"So..." Minato says slowly, trying to understand. "So, being an Uchiha matters, but being Madara doesn't?"

Hashirama and Madara stare at him. "What?" They both say.

"You have to hate Hashirama because he's a Senju and you're an Uchiha, but you can't like him because he's Hashirama and you're Madara? So, being an Uchiha is more important than being Madara?"

Madara's eyes widen while Hashirama's twinkles. He looks around for a moment, a small smile spreading across his tan face as he thought about Minato's words. Madara, try as he may to rebuff Minato's words, just opened and close his mouth like a fish out of water, unable to come up with a reply to that. And like that, all of the anger that floated between them vanishes.

Minato smiles at them. "Maybe it's because I'm not in the same boat as the two of you, but I really do hope that we can all remain friends."

Hashirama nods, stepping closer to Minato to smile at Madara faintly. "I want to stay friends with you Madara, even if..."

Madara sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah... I suppose... even though we..."

Minato glances between them confused still. "Even though you..?"

Hashirama smiles sadly. "We won't be able to see each other, or you, for a long time. My little brother caught us, he's going to go home and tell my father so this is going to be the last time I get any alone time for a while, but it's okay, so long as we can all still be friends."

"Even if we have to fight each other?" Madara asks slowly, looking like his anger had exhausted him.

Hashirama puts a hand on the other's boy's shoulder. "Yes. You are my friend, Madara, my brother. I just want us to be together."

Minato smiles brightly. He puts a hand on both of their shoulders, looking between them. Even though he understood somewhere in the back of his mind that this would be goodbye for a while, but he just wanted to make sure that they would, and could, all still be friends after whatever was going on passed.

* * *

Minato sits under his favorite tree, a scroll next to him as he scribbles down a new seal from the book to study in depth. He got into seals during his time as a child with Hashirama and Madara. It was actually Hashirama that brought him the book of seals. It was something that Hashirama valued, having got it a few years prior. He said that he already memorized all of the seals in the book, having wrote them down and was willing to depart with it so long as Minato promised to be careful with it and study closely, only to one day return it.

Thus far, Minato has kept his promise.

Everything changed once Hashirama and Madara left that day. Minato was going to be turning eleven when they parted ways. Hashirama had just turned fourteen and Madara was going to be turning fourteen a few months later. Even though they went their separate ways, both Madara and Hashirama made it a point to try and visit Minato when they could, but as they were teens now, they were made to join their families on the front line in the battle against one another.

Minato didn't understand it at first, not having realized that there was any sort of war going on, but apparently the Uchiha and the Senju clans were enemies and have been warring for the past few hundred years. It was crazy. Well, no, it was like the Uchiha were conquering other families and eventually ran into the Senju who fought back.

Even though he did get to see Madara and Hashirama over the years - seven years - since they separated, it was never together. Even if the boys were no longer on bad terms with one another, their families were still enemies and neither could do anything while their fathers still lived and ruled their clans. About a year ago, Hashirama took over his clan after his father was seriously injured and since then, the Senju have stopped pushing forward and are just rebuffing all of the Uchiha's attacks.

They were just waiting, biding their time until Madara got control over his clan.

Someone runs their fingers through his hair. Minato opens his eyes, blinking tiredly, to see Hashirama leaning over him, a sweet smile on his face. Hashirama's long brown hair is hanging over his shoulder, blowing softly in the gentle breeze.

"You know, you shouldn't be sleeping out here all by yourself. It's not safe." Hashirama's grin turns bright.

Minato yawns, stretching with his arms over his head, his lower back hurting from where he was sitting in the same position against the tree for so long. He must have dozed off a bit.

"Yes," Minato says, as his yawn calms down. "I'm sorry. It's just such a nice day out, I couldn't help but sit out and enjoy it."

Hashirama pulls his hand away and sits down in front of Minato as the other boy relaxed against the tree again. "It really is a beautiful day outside, isn't it?" He looks up at the sky, squinting at the light provided by the early evening sun. "It feels wonderful."

"It does," Minato agrees, pushing his borrowed scroll aside and pulling his legs up to his chest to smile at his childhood friend. "How are you doing, Hashirama?"

I'm good," Hashirama says, looking back down at Minato. "Everything has been slow, recently. I just had to face off against Tajima the other day." Hashirama frowns a little bit.

Minato frowns too. "Did you see Madara?"

Hashirama shakes his head. "No, but I think Madara and Izuna were fighting against Tobirama, so I was a little distracted. I know Tobirama is strong, but Madara and Izuna are both very powerful, as you know, and Tobirama can't fight both of them full on by himself. I had to abandon the battle against Tajima to go and help him." The dark haired Senju lets out a long winded sigh. "I know that I should trust Tobirama, but I..." he sighs again.

Minato nods. "It's okay. I understand, Hashirama. But he's your little brother, I can understand where he would be angry or annoyed at you helping but you love him, you don't want him to get hurt. Is he at home?"

"Yes," Hashirama says. "Fighting Madara and Izuna was a little too much for him. He broke all the ribs on his right side and punctured a lung. It was a good thing I made it to him in time. I know Izuna and Madara weren't trying to kill him, but they really did a number on him."

Minato flinches a bit. "That had to hurt. Tell him I hope he feels better soon."

"I will, thanks," Hashirama says softly.

"Do you want to talk about your latest fight?" Minato guesses by the look on Hashirama's face.

Hashirama smiles thinly. "Yes, but moreso about how I really hate fighting Tajima. I know I could probably beat him in battle, but this is Madara's father. If I killed him, I'm not sure I'd know what to say to Madara. I know he has to be stopped, but if Tajima is fighting me, he isn't hurting any of my family. But, at the same time, he's still out there, running the Uchiha. I just.. I don't know what to do. I can't keep allowing him to hurt my family, but can I just kill Madara's father after all these years promising that we wouldn't kill anymore of the opposite family?"

Minato doesn't respond right away. He knows that Madara and Hashirama are trying hard to keep their friendship alive while in war against one another and it's seriously straining it. They made sure to avoid each other like the plague, especially when one of them was with Minato. The pretty blond haired boy was the bridge that kept them together in a way. Through him, they learned about each other. And even though no one else could see them together, Minato safeguarded their friendship in a vault only he knew existed.

"I don't know," Minato admits. "I won't claim to know what Madara wants to do, and it's certainly put you in quite the predicament, but I'm not sure if there is anything I can say that would somehow help you."

Hashirama smiles thinly. "Thank you for your honesty, Minato." He lets out a long winded sigh, rubbing at the back of his neck roughly. "I just wish this wasn't so hard! I wish that all the fighting could just stop already and we could start bridging the gap between our families."

"I do too," Minato says softly. "Last time I saw Madara he was pretty upset over some of the things that his father was ordering. He came out to see me to vent. I have to say, I've been keeping up with my training as well as I can, and I knew he needed to let off some steam but Kami! He's gotten so much more powerful then when we were kids."

Hashirama beams with pride. "Madara has come a long way! I am proud. And you too! You're getting so good at seals, I'm jealous!"

Minato hesitates for a moment. "Have you spoken with Madara or Izuna recently?"

Hashirama shakes his head. "The only time I see them in on the battlefield. Why? Is something wrong?"

Minato shakes his head slowly. "I don't know. Madara came to visit me a few days ago, you know, when we fought? But besides that, he seemed very upset about something. I know it's his father. But he wouldn't tell me exactly what was wrong other than his fathers orders were getting out of hand. I don't know what he meant by that, but he seemed real distraught over it."

Hashirama rubs his chin slowly, a dark shadow crossing his face for a moment before he grins brightly at Minato. "I wouldn't worry too much about it, Minato. I'm sure Tajima just has something up his sleeve that Madara doesn't agree with. You don't have to worry about us. Focus on your sealing! You are getting so good at it, you know?"

"I have a lot more time to play around with seals than you do," Minato says, offering Hashirama a knowing look. He knew that his words bothered Hashirama, but the sunshine of a man wasn't going to do anything to make Minato worry - which was a bit frustrating. "I appreciate you letting me borrow some of your things."

Hashirama waves his hand dismissively. "Scrolls and tomes are meant to be read and learned from. They do me no good if I don't have the time to properly sit down and actually use them. I'm glad that they are being used."

Minato smiles lightly. "I wish there was something I could do to help the two of your out, but anything I do could be perceived as taking sides."

Hashirama is shaking his head before Minato even finished. "No, Minato, you know Madara and I wouldn't let you do anything. Don't worry about it. Once our clans find peace, then you and your parents will move to the new village we create and we can all finally live together."

Minato lets out a little puff of air. "Thank you, Hashirama. My parents are very old now. They can't do much other than their simple pleasures like writing for my father and knitting for my mother. She can still do a bit of cooking, which she enjoys, but it's getting harder to go about the kitchen, slaving over a hot meal, so I've been cooking in her stead when she doesn't feel well."

Hashirama doesn't respond right away. He just looks around for a moment before saying, softly, "That is the price for becoming old, I'm afraid. Do you want me to come take a look at them? I would love to see them again anyway."

Minato stares at him for a moment with large, worried blue eyes. "I don't hope that you come to visit simply so that you can make sure my parents are okay."

Hashirama grins charmingly. "I know that!" He lets out a little laugh. "I offered because I wanted to!"

"Really..?" Minato asks slowly, raising an eyebrow at his childhood friend.

Hashirama nods, bouncing easily to his feet. "Of course! Let's go see Kazuhiro-san and Miyayoi-san!"

Minato collects the scrolls and books that he had scattered around him and the base of the tree before walking side-by-side with Hashirama up the hill to the home of his parents. Hashirama and Minato remove their shoes and walk in side, finding his mother sitting at the table, knitting. Her hair, pulled up into a high bun is completely snow white now.

Her dark brown eyes rise to Minato, smiling kindly. "Good evening, Minato-dear," She says softly before her eyes flicker over to Hashirama and her smile brightens considerably. She lays down the needles and the half done bright red scarf down and pushes herself slowly to her feet before holding her arms out to Hashirama. "Oh, sweet boy!"

Hashirama rushes to her side, hugging her as tightly as he dares, swaying back and forth while they hug. Minato's mother, who was shorter than Minato by about half a head, is eclipsed by a tall man like Hashirama.

"Miyayoi-san!" Hashirama gushes. He pulls back and looks her up and down. "You look lovely! Oh, and you're wearing the kimono I got for you! It looks better than I thought it would!"

Miyayoi blushes, reaching down and touching the soft fabric of the beautiful, but simple, flower kimono, that was a light pink color with a pretty blue flower near the bottom. His mother just had her birthday a few weeks ago and that was Hashirama's present for her. It was finely made and beautiful but couldn't be too extravagant, since his parents didn't have a lot of money, they didn't like having things around the house that was just too good for them or things that they wouldn't use.

So for this last birthday his mother got a kimono and for his dad's birthday, a nice quill and ink to write with. Madara got stuff for them too. He got his mother a collection of wonderful and colorful yarn for her to knit with and new needles and his father got a nice, soft cushion for when he's writing so that he's not hurting his back too much.

Oddly enough, it was like Madara and Hashirama became part of the family. At one point, a few years ago, they even brought Tobirama - who is Hashirama's little brother - and Izuna - who is Madara's - to the Minato's house with them.

It was strange to think about the first two heirs of the Uchiha and the clan leader and heir of the Senju at his dinner table at one point or another. They were all his friends and while Madara and Hashirama would always hold a special place in his heart as his two best friends, they were all important to him. He has greatly enjoyed having all of them to call friends, even if their only real friendly link between the two families was just him.

His parents basically thought of them as their own adoptive children. Just like Minato. When the boys come over, they have to have dinner with Minato and his family. Even if Minato's parents couldn't offer much food, Minato's friends would always be so polite and would even come over early with supplies and bustle about in the kitchen with his mother, making a big mess trying to help her out.

Miyayoi seems to enjoy those days more than any of the others. She loves the nudging and the playful arguing between the set of brothers and Minato, all the while Miyayoi would just giggle softly to herself and patiently tell them what to do and when.

Minato admittedly likes those days more than most, too.

"Kazuhiro!" Miyayoi calls. "Come here, love! Hashirama is here!"

There is sound from Minato's parent's bedroom before his father appears, white hair thinning on the top of his head with brown eyes surrounded by wrinkles. His smile almost splits his face in half as he opens his arms happily to the tall brunette.

"Hashirama, my boy! How are you?"

Hashirama hugs Kazuhiro tightly before pulling back. "I'm good, Kazuhiro-san! How about yourself?"

"Oh, I'm getting old," Kazuhiro laughs. "My beautiful Miyayoi looks as wonderful as ever, doesn't she?" He smiles over at Miyayoi, who blushes happily with a soft, "Oh, you."

"Gorgeous!" Hashirama agrees, smiling kindly over at the old woman.

"Sit!" Kazuhiro says, gesturing to the table. "Relax!"

"Thank you," Hashirama says.

"Go ahead and sit down, mother," Minato says, touching his mother's shoulder. "I'll make some tea, okay?"

Miyayoi reaches up and cups Minato's cheek with her small, wrinkling hand. "Thank you, Minato." She pulls her hand away and Minato helps her sit down at her original spot by her needles and yarn. "Hashirama, how is Tobi? Why did he not come with you?"

"Got into a little scuffle with Madara and Izuna and they hurt his feelings," Hashirama says dramatically. "Now he's nursing a wounded pride." Minato grins with his back turned to his parents as he starts to make the tea.

Minato's parents weren't privy to the war. They had no idea - or if they did, they never said anything about it - about the war between the Uchiha and the Senju. As far as his parents knew, they were both of big clans and didn't have a lot of free time and by chance do their visits never cross. Minato's not sure if his parents even believe that or if they just never thought about it before, but that was how it was.

"Oh, poor dear," Miyayoi says, frowning faintly. "Once he's better please tell him to come visit. I'll bake you a pie to take home with you, okay?"

Hashirama smiles. "Oh! I'm sure he would love that! May I help you make it?"

Miyayoi smiles kindly. "Of course, dear! I would love the help. You know, Minato is getting to become quite the cook himself! He's almost better than I am! Can you believe it?" She giggles.

"I'm not better than you, mother," Minato says softly, turning to look over at his mother. "I still have a long way to go before I'm even half as good as you."

Miyayoi touches her face, smiling proudly over at Kazuhiro. "We have such a sweet boy, don't we, Kazuhiro?"

Kazuhiro nods, coughing a few times to clear his throat before smiling back at her. "We do. We are very fortunate to have him."

Minato turns around and closes his eyes. "I am very fortunate to have the two of you."

* * *

Minato sits at the kitchen, reading the scrolls by candlelight, listening to the quiet of his parents room now that they have finally settled down for the night. His mother was up until just a little while ago - later than she usually is - because she was excited about having Hashirama over and cooking a pie to bring back to his brother.

Minato enjoyed those quiet moments, where the house fell silent and peace settled over them. Minato has lived a relatively quiet life up until this point. There was the strange reasoning behind how he got to his parents, but other than that, his life has been peaceful. Even though they were so close, Minato and his family weren't affected by the war between the Uchiha and Senju and the reason that he knows so much about it is because his friends tell him about it.

The blonds days are relatively uneventful and that was something that was fine for Minato. He didn't mind a slow passed life where his parents were involved. He just patiently waited for Hashirama and Madara to unite their families and move to their new home so that he could join them, then his life can start speeding up because he is no longer the first and last line of defense for his parents.

They were getting old, as much as Minato doesn't want to admit it, and he would feel better being close to an expert healer like Hashirama. That wasn't the reason he was friends with Hashirama, but it was so nice of his friend to always be so willing to help out. Minato will never be able to thank his friends for being so wonderful to him and his family.

Minato stands up slowly, stretching his hands over his head in an effort to ease the tension in his back from sitting in one position for too long. He rolls up all of the scrolls before blowing out the candle and heading to bed.

It's three days later while Minato is on his way home from the nearby town with supplies for his parents. He was about half way home, walking through a small path through the trees when he felt someone right on top of him. Minato turns, quickly, kunai in hand to see Madara standing right behind him, long black hair covering his eyes as his head was tilted downward.

"Madara, you scared me," Minato says, putting the kunai back in it's hiding place in the folds of his kimono. "I thought you were... hey, what's wrong?" Minato lays the bags down next to him and leans in close to Madara, looking up at the darkness cast over his face. "Madara? Are you okay?" Minato reaches out, putting a hand on the slight part between his bangs on his forehead and pushes some of the hair aside so he can see his friend's face. "Madara?"

Madara's face is unbelievably pale. Practically gray. His eyes are wide and bloodshot and shimmering with tears. Not enough to fall and a slow, agonizing blink sends them away.

"Madara?" Minato tucks the strand behind Madara's ear before cupping his face, forcing the older man to look at him. "Madara, what's wrong? Are you okay? Did something happen?"

Madara slowly lowers his head to Minato's shoulders, arms hanging loosely to his side and he whispers something.

Something that sounds suspiciously like, "I killed my father."

 **For the Reviewers:**

 **1\. AkaiArashi1: Aw, that is so kind of you to say! I wouldn't say it's the best, seeing as it's just a single chapter, but that was so nice of you! I know! Minato is such a beautiful character, I hope I can write him in a good, believable light! Madara and Hashirama are about three years older than Minato.**

 **2\. Wolf to the Stars: Thank you! Don't worry, just because I write new ones doesn't mean I've forgotten about my old ones.**

 **3\. Onlyagirl: Thanks so much for the comment! I always love hearing from you! Oh, you are too sweet! I think there is a lot of affection that can be shown both ways between the two pairings. He did meet with Tobirama, and Izuna, and even formed a friendship with them that we will see more of later. Thank you so much for leaving me a PM, those make my day, even if it was to finish your comment! XD**

 **4\. Peacemaker101200: Oh my, you are too sweet! Thank you so much for your support!**

 **5\. pvamangafan100: Thank you so much! I'm sorry about the wait!**

 **6\. Itachi: I know, I'm sneaky about when I update and when I write new stories. Sorry! As for the updates for Reincarnation, a new one is on it's way, but what I had was updates for a few stories and those I already put out. I'm sorry for the confusion! I tend not to write two chapters for the same story in a row, just so that I can keep my focus spread on all of my stories so one doesn't sit idly by while the others trek along. My updates are sporadic, simply because my work schedule changes by the day, but I'm so happy to see that you are sticking by me and have found enjoyment in another of my stories, so thank you! I am excited for my Star Wars story, but if you don't know the story, it's fine not to read it. I would like to write stories for all walks of people in all kinds of fandoms and characters, hoping to write one that clicks with them. I believe story telling is a pure form of expression and if I can make someone's day a little bit better by the stories I write, I'll be happy. :D Have a good day, too!**

 **7\. Bloodstained Element: Hmm, curious. XD Yeah, I'm slowly trucking along on Twisting Fate seeing as I haven't updated in a while. *sweats* I'm sorry!**

 **8\. Mad3mMayh3m: Aw, thank you! I hope you like it!**


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